Finding The Right Note

On Netflix Rose McIver has made quite an impression as a brain-eating zombie, now she’s turning heads in a home-grown Kiwi film. She tells Monique McKenzie about her latest musical turn

- Monique McKenzie

It’s a rainy Monday afternoon in Los Angeles and actress Rose McIver is speaking from hands-free Bluetooth in her car; it’s hard to hear her over the hustle and bustle of the fast-paced city around her. It’s where she’s been based since 2011, and for the past five years has made the weekly commute to and from Vancouver to play the lead character of medical examiner Olivia “Liv” Moore in the comedy-drama series iZombie.

The bright lights of Hollywood and the 520,000 followers she’s garnered on Instagram are a far cry from her days of delivering Fair Trade bananas on the back of a scooter in Wellington between acting gigs, but it’s clear within a few minutes of chatting to Rose that she’s a down-to-earth Kiwi who hasn’t forgotten her roots.

In a gap between filming her hit Netflix show, the 30-year-old returned home to play lead lovebird, also called Rose, in Daffodils alongside fellow Kiwi actor George Mason. The film, which was directed by David Stubbs, is based on the award-winning stage musical written by playwright Rochelle Bright that has played in 12 cities across the country since its premiere in 2014.

It’s a bittersweet love story set in the 60s and tells the true tale of Rochelle’s parents. The film follows an indie musician (played by singer-songwriter and Grammy Award winner Kimbra) who recounts her parents’ romance – starting with 18-year-old electrician Eric meeting 16-year-old farm girl Rose by the daffodils at a lake in Hamilton. They date, get engaged, and look set for a life of marital bliss until secrets are uncovered.